14:45 Galway

Sunday 5 August 2018

All14:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:3018:00

Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle (81-123)

Off time: 14:47 | Winning time: 5m 57.10s

Kilkishen⁶⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 123

50/1

Consistent sort over hurdles but has not been seen since finishing third of 11 beaten over 5L in a Clonmel handicap in October 2016. Plenty to prove on comeback.

Form: 4FF3B3/

Champagne Harmony⁹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: S J Mahon| OR: 121| C

12/1

Course winner who has failed to finish five of his last six starts and will need to raise overall performance to pay a role here.

Form: P7UPPP-

Aspen Colorado^p⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: E T Daly⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 119

25/1

Nothing of note in a couple of dismal displays this term and may find life difficult here. One of four in the race for leading owner.

Form: 905F-F9

Dont Kick Nor Bite⁸⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Mark Walsh| T: R Tyner| OR: 119| D

20/1

Has failed to build on his gallant runner-up position in a Gowran Park 2m handicap chase in November but comes here on a hat-trick of hurdle wins following successes at Cork and Kilbeggan over 12-months ago. Market likely to be the best guide.

Form: 41826-4

The Mulcare Rover⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: A McCurtin⁽⁵⁾| T: J J Walsh| OR: 118| D

25/1

Has been unable to halt his alarming slide in for in a series of second-rate displays since his last win over two years ago. Needs to improve significantly.

Form: 840-85P

King Leon^b¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: J S McGarvey| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 117| D

16/1

Badly out of form since returning to the track last August following a 385 day absence. Leading owner has four in this contest and is worth a market check.

Form: PBPPP-7

Smitty Bacall⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Geraghty| T: J R Barry| OR: 116

12/1

Winner of a Gowran Park maiden hurdle over 2m4f in June getting off the mark at the sixth time of asking. More improvement looks to be on the cards with winning jockey retained.

Form: 4P/3-231

Antimatter¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁵⁾| T: D Duggan| OR: 115

14/1

Has failed to find the spark in three starts this term that saw the gelding win the final two races of his 2017 season. Could be dangerous on best form.

Form: 511-344

Freewheelin Dylan^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: C D Maxwell| T: D A McLoughlin| OR: 114| D

16/1

Three-race maiden hurdler who has generally been well-held despite finishing positions in three starts since June. Market should be informative on handicap debut.

Form: 50P-423

Major Destination^t¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 114| D

7/1

Won a Cork maiden hurdle over 12-months ago getting off the mark at the third time of asking but has failed to build on that win since over timber including a heavy defeat at Bellewstown last month. Needs to regain form.

Form: 1231-64

Lizzies Champ^t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: P G Kelly| OR: 111

11/4

Solid and consistent in two starts this season finishing runner up on both occasions. Improving sort who appears to be a leading contender here.

Form: 146P-22

Steamboat Bill⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: A E Lynch| T: H Smyth| OR: 111

50/1

Nothing of note on debut for new connections since a switch from Gordon Elliott. Not won for over two years and now races 9lb below last winning mark. Others hold stronger profiles.

Form: 5/U0P-40

Cable²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Robbie Colgan| T: S J Mahon| OR: 110| C

50/1

Well held when finishing down the field in a number of dismal displays over the larger obstacles since July 2017. One from four over hurdles and market likely to be the best guide on first spin over timber for 18-months.

Form: 13455-5

Lake Takapuna²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Cooper| T: R P McNamara| OR: 110

20/1

Failed to sparkle for Jim Culloty and finished 58L adrift of the winner of a Limerick 2m handicap chase last month on stable debut. Comes here 3lb lower than last hurdle winning mark and place claims on best form. .

Form: P4P0-89

Big Bad Brian^p1,t³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: M A Enright| T: D Hogan| OR: 109| D

10/1

Not won for over two year and first time cheekpieces inconceivable to produce the required amount of development needed to play a role here.

Form: 31/P-257

Thekingofconnemara^t1¹²⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-12| J: K J Brouder⁽⁷⁾| T: Barry J Murphy| OR: 109| D

50/1

First-time tongue-tie fitted for gelding who has been beaten over 94L on his last two starts over hurdles. May find this a tough assignment.

Form: 234P/58-

The White Volcano⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: A Ring⁽³⁾| T: J Woods| OR: 108| D

9/1

Improved to win Down Royal three mile handicap hurdle last time so no stamina concerns, is in form and gets weight all round so certainly worth considering.

Form: 3084-71

Na Trachtalai Abu^t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: D J McInerney⁽³⁾| T: J Motherway| OR: 108| BF| D

8/1

First Reserve: Failed to build on a couple of promising runs over the larger obstacles in June when finishing down the field in a Kilbeggan 3m1f handicap chase last month. Three from 13 over hurdles and one to note.

Form: 40-1336

As De Pique^t²⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 10-10| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 107| D

25/1

Third Reserve: Has struggled for form this campaign and just won once since 2015. Hard to fancy here and looks regressive at present.

Form: 25-8865

Non-Runners

Mighty Stowaway²

Weight: 11-9| Age: 7

T: J J Hanlon J: Danny Mullins

Lareena¹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 5

T: W P Mullins J: Ruby Walsh

Vent De La Cote¹¹⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 9

T: M Brassil J: C Brassil

Pivot Bridge¹⁰

Weight: 10-10| Age: 10

T: A McGuinness J: Reserve 2

Forecasts

Lizzies Champ (11/4), Lareena (4/1), Major Destination (7/1), Na Trachtalai Abu (8/1), The White Volcano (9/1), Big Bad Brian (10/1), Smitty Bacall (12/1), Champagne Harmony (12/1), Antimatter (14/1), Vent De La Cote (14/1), Freewheelin Dylan (16/1), King Leon (16/1), Mighty Stowaway (16/1), Dont Kick Nor Bite (20/1), Lake Takapuna (20/1), The Mulcare Rover (25/1), Aspen Colorado (25/1), As De Pique (25/1), Pivot Bridge (25/1), Kilkishen (50/1), Thekingofconnemara (50/1), Steamboat Bill (50/1), Cable (50/1)

LAREENA finished a gallant fourth of 20 in a Grade B handicap hurdle here yesterday afternoon and can land the spoils here in a weaker contest under Ruby Walsh for trainer-Willie Mullins. Lizzies Champ under Davy Russell is a gallant and consistent sort, can chase the selection home here while Pivot Bridge and Lake Takapura have conditions to suit running off handy marks.